ASM Handbook: Volume 19: Fatigue and Fracture

The first ASM handbook devoted entirely to fatigue and fracture provides basic concepts, alloy property data, and the testing and analysis methods used to characterize the fatigue and fracture behavior of structural materials. Designed for materials and mechanical engineers with varying levels of expertise, with articles on making estimates of fatigue life, detailed coverage of fracture mechanics and fatigue and fracture properties of ferrous, nonferrous, and nonmetallic structural materials, and information on the statistical aspects of fatigue data, the planning and evaluation of fatigue tests, and the characterization of fatigue mechanisms and crack growth. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

The publication of this Volume marks the first time that the ASM Handbook series has dealt with fatigue and fracture as a distinct topic. Society members and engineers involved in the research, development, application, and analysis of engineering materials have had a long-standing interest and involvement with fatigue and fracture problems, and this reference book is intended to provide practical and comprehensive coverage of all aspects of these subjects.

Publication of Fatigue and Fracture also marks over 50 years of continuing progress in the development and application of modern fracture mechanics. Numerous Society members have been actively involved in this progress, which is typified by the seminal work of George Irwin ("Fracture Dynamics," Fracturing of Metals, ASM, 1948). Since that time period, fracture mechanics has become a vital engineering discipline that has been integrally involved in helping to prevent the failure of essentially all types of engineered structures.

Likewise, fatigue and crack growth have also become of primary importance to the development and use of advanced structural materials, and this Volume addresses the wide range of fundamental, as well as practical, issues involved with these disciplines.

We believe that our readers will find this Handbook useful, instructive, and informative at all levels. We also are especially grateful to the authors and reviewers who have made this work possible through their generous commitments of time and technical expertise. To these contributors we offer our special thanks.